TikTok Aspect Ratio Calculator
Use this TikTok aspect ratio calculator to create full-screen vertical content that fits the app cleanly. TikTok is built around 9:16 portrait video, usually exported at 1080×1920. Calculate the matching width or height before cropping, editing captions or exporting a final file.
TikTok calculator
TikTok sizes
| Size / ratio | Label | Use-case |
|---|---|---|
| 1080×1920 | 9:16 | Recommended TikTok video size |
| 720×1280 | 9:16 | Smaller HD vertical export |
| 1440×2560 | 9:16 | High-resolution vertical source |
| 2160×3840 | 9:16 | 4K vertical master |
| 1080×1920 | 9:16 | TikTok photo-mode vertical images |
TikTok formula
height = width × 16 ÷ 9width = height × 9 ÷ 16Example: 1080px wide → 1920px high.
Worked example. Say you shot a clip at 1440 px wide and want it full-screen on TikTok. Height = 1440 × 16 ÷ 9 = 2560 px, so 1440×2560 is a clean 9:16 master you can downscale to 1080×1920 for upload. Going the other way, a 1920 px-tall frame needs 1920 × 9 ÷ 16 = 1080 px wide — the recommended canvas. To confirm a file is already 9:16, divide both sides by their greatest common divisor: 1080 and 1920 share a GCD of 120, and 1080÷120 : 1920÷120 = 9:16.
TikTok framing tips
TikTok rewards content that feels native to the vertical feed. A 16:9 landscape clip can upload, but it usually appears smaller because the app has to fit a wide rectangle inside a tall screen. A 9:16 video fills the available space and looks intentional.
When designing text overlays, keep the most important elements away from the very top and bottom because interface controls, captions and profile elements can cover the frame. The ratio calculation gives you the canvas; good framing keeps the content readable inside the app.
Focus on practical publishing outcomes. A 1080×1920 file fills the vertical feed and gives enough detail for normal mobile viewing. A 720×1280 export is still valid, but may look softer after compression. A higher-resolution 1440×2560 or 2160×3840 master can be useful for editing, but the final upload should still preserve the 9:16 shape.
Horizontal footage performs poorly visually on TikTok: the video becomes smaller inside the portrait frame, or the editor has to add background bars. The calculator solves the dimensions, while good framing keeps captions, faces and product details away from UI-heavy edges. If you also post short-form elsewhere, the 9:16 aspect ratio calculator and the YouTube aspect ratio calculator cover the same vertical shape.
Where TikTok's interface covers the frame (safe zone)
Getting the 9:16 shape right is only half the job — TikTok layers its own controls on top of your video, and those overlays sit in fixed regions of the frame. On a 1080×1920 canvas the interface eats into three edges, so anything you must keep visible (captions you burned in, faces, product details, a logo) belongs in the middle of the frame rather than near the edges. The margins below are approximate because TikTok tweaks its layout across app versions and devices, but they are a safe working guide.
- Top bar (~130 px): the progress bar plus the "Following / For You" and search row sit across the top.
- Right action rail (~120 px): the profile icon, like, comment, share, bookmark and the spinning sound disc run down the right edge.
- Bottom band (~480 px): the username, caption, sound title and the home navigation stack fill the lower portion — the tallest overlay by far.
That leaves a roughly centred column, offset a little upward, as the reliable "safe zone." Keep headline text and key subjects inside it and they will not be hidden behind a like button or clipped by the caption block.
TikTok Photo Mode is different from video
Not every TikTok post is a video. Photo Mode (TikTok's carousel format) lets you publish still images — one or several per post — that viewers swipe through, with a caption and optional music underneath. It is a separate format from the vertical video feed, and it changes what shape works best.
Stills in Photo Mode display well at 9:16 (1080×1920) for the full-screen look, but unlike video they also handle 1:1 square images comfortably, since a carousel does not have to fill the whole screen edge-to-edge. If your images are a mix of orientations, TikTok fits them to the frame rather than stretching them, so a consistent shape across the carousel looks the most polished. Use the 1:1 aspect ratio calculator if you want square stills, or keep the 9:16 preset above for full-bleed portrait photos.
TikTok upload and technical limits
Aspect ratio decides the shape, but TikTok also expects specific files, codecs and frame rates. These are the practical upload specs to match before you export:
| Setting | Recommended | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Aspect ratio | 9:16 vertical | 1:1 and 16:9 accepted but not full-screen |
| Resolution | 1080×1920 | 720×1280 works; higher masters downscale cleanly |
| Container | MP4 or MOV | Most editors export these by default |
| Video codec | H.264 or HEVC (H.265) | H.264 is the most broadly compatible |
| Frame rate | Up to 60 fps | 30 fps is fine for most talking-head clips |
| Photo Mode | 9:16 or 1:1 stills | Multiple images per carousel post |
TikTok ad formats also use 9:16
If you are running paid campaigns, the vertical shape carries straight over to advertising. TikTok's core ad placements are built for full-screen portrait, so a 1080×1920 master doubles as ad-ready creative:
- In-Feed ads appear between organic clips in the For You feed and use the same 9:16 canvas.
- TopView is the full-screen unit shown when the app opens — vertical 9:16 for maximum impact.
- Spark Ads boost an existing organic post, so they inherit whatever ratio you published — another reason to keep originals at 9:16.
Because every one of these expects the same portrait shape, designing your organic content to a clean 1080×1920 means you can reuse it as an ad without recropping.
Frequently asked questions
Related calculators and guides
- Aspect ratio calculator — the main calculator with custom ratios
- 9:16 aspect ratio calculator — the vertical shape TikTok shares with Reels and Shorts
- Instagram aspect ratio calculator — posts, Reels and Stories placements
- YouTube aspect ratio calculator — videos, Shorts and thumbnails
- Social media image sizes — recommended dimensions per platform